Associate & Non-Member State Relations

Mandate

The Associate & Non-Member State Section is responsible for matters concerning relations between CERN and its Associate & Non-Member States.

Activities

develops and enhances links with Associate Member States, Non-Member States and international scientific organizations;

promotes and implements of CERN’s geographical enlargement policy.

Information on the particle physics effort in each country is collected and collated for use by CERN. Visits to the Laboratory by senior officials from the section are also initiated, as well as exploratory visits to individual countries by CERN staff to establish useful contacts in the local physics institutes and high-technology industries.

When appropriate, and particularly where physicists from the Associate & Non-Member States are collaborating in the research and accelerator programme of CERN, the section assists in the preparation of a co-operation agreement between CERN and their institute or country. Section members also participate in the co-ordinating committees between CERN and certain individual countries.

The section maintains a complete and up-to-date record of the participation in the CERN programme of the Associate and Non-Member States and of their corresponding collaborating national laboratories, universities and institutes.

In addition to Membership, CERN possesses various other legal instruments for governing its relations with States. These include the status of Associate Member, which comprise regular Associate Membership as well as Associate Membership in the pre-stage to full Membership. It is understood that subject to compliance with the applicable criteria and procedures, States that fall within the former category may transit to the latter status.

Observer Status (currently held by Japan, Russia and the United States, as well as UNESCO, JINR and the European Union) entitles a country to attend open sessions of the Council.

Japan, Russia and the United States have a special Observer status, with the right to attend restricted sessions of the Council dealing with LHC matters.